Natra has a positive view of its time spent at the PLMA Trade Show in Chicago
In total, the trade show housed 1,300 exhibiting companies from 40 different countries and welcomed more than 10,000 professionals from the sector. It is an event that has served as a meeting point for buyers of private labels, retailers, and wholesalers, where it is possible to discover a wide range of foods, snacks, and drinks, as well as products for the home and kitchen, or even health and beauty products.
Natra, who made the most of the trade show to exhibit their latest products, had a team of eight people and a dedicated stand of 30 square metres measure. Following two days of intense work, the chocolate and cocoa-derivative company has judged the results achieved at this show to be ‘very positive’ and, in the words of the Belgian Specialties Sales Director, Iñaki Abalia: ‘it is of strategic importance for the American market and of strategic importance for Natra and its internationalisation’.
The products which excited most interest, in terms of requests from guests who approached the stand, were firstly the spreadable creams, and secondly the traditional Belgian specialities, as well as the small Doypack-packaged bars and chocolate bars.
In terms of a visitor profile, Natra welcomed the most clients and potential clients from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and Brazil, all countries in which Natra currently markets its products.
As well as visiting PLMA, Natra was also present at Yummex 2016, held between the 7th and the 9th of November in Dubai, and at SIAL (Salon International de l’Alimentation), held from the 16th to the 20th of October in Paris, where it was warmly welcomed by the public.
About Natra
Natra is a multinational company which originated in Spain which manufactures chocolate and products derived from cocoa. The company has more than 1100 employees around the world and six specialised centres of production in Spain, Belgium, France, and Canada.
Natra has two classes of product: consumer products (bars of chocolate, chocolates, and Belgian truffles, chocolate slabs, and spreads) and industrial products (supplying products derived from cocoa, mainly cocoa powder and butter, and chocolate topping for the international food industry).
Natra presents at YUMMEX in Dubai
Natra was present for the 10th edition of the YUMMEX Middle East 2016 trade fair held from the 7th to the 9th of November in Dubai. During the three days of the trade fair, previously known as Sweets & Snacks Middle East, more than 8,000 visitors came to the Dubai World Trade Centre Exhibition Space.
YUMMEX has become one of the major trade fairs for snacks and confectionary products in the Middle East and North Africa. It is a meeting point for all professionals, producers, and buyers who wish to acquaint themselves with the latest trends and innovations in the sector.
The Natra stand received over 70 visitors over the three days. In terms of the profile of these visitors, Igor Gomez, the Natra sales representative present at the trade fair, emphasised “the high quality and professionalism of the clients and potential clients who came to the stand this year.” In addition, Yummex has been “a great opportunity for sales and for growing more comfortable with markets in places such as Yemen, Jordan, and Sub-Saharan Africa.” These countries do not feature heavily in other European trade fairs of this type.
The products which generate the most interest were the small bars for unit sales, which have a large market in countries in the Middle East and Africa and which are distributed by means of small local businesses.
Antonio Obieta named Natra new Chairman of the Board
Antonio Obieta Vilallonga has been appointed new Non Executive Chairman of the Board of Natra, the Spanish company dedicated to chocolate products and cocoa derivatives, as reported by a relevant fact notice to the CNMV (Spanish stock market regulator).
Natra to manufacture in Canada to meet the growing demand of the American market
Listed Spanish multinational Natra, a reference in the manufacture of chocolate products and cocoa derivatives, with a specialised focus on the retail industry and other food companies, will set up production in the coming months in Ontario (Canada), to directly address its customers demand in North America.
This new project is part of Natra’s strategic plan, one of the prior objectives being to increase the company’s position in markets outside Europe, and especially in North America and Asia, following the commercial progress already made in these regions in the last two years.
The new rented production facility will be part of Natra’s consumer goods division, alongside the four existing multi-product factories in Spain, France and Belgium where the company produces chocolate bars, chocolate spreads, countlines and Belgian chocolates and specialties.
The division’s current annual production is 77 thousand tonnes of chocolate products, which the company aims to complement with an additional 12 thousand tonnes from the new Canadian plant over the next three years. After the factory adaptation process and the production start to be held in the coming months, Natra estimates the new plant to be fully operational in the first half of 2014.
Natra’s manufacturing presence in Canada will be accompanied by the opening of a new sales office in Toronto next June, which will allow the company to concentrate the consumer goods division’s production and commercial teams in the area. The company will maintain its sales office in San Diego (USA), which will resume the initial activity from its opening in 2001, ie the marketing of the industrial goods division’s cocoa derivatives.
The new project in Canada will involve an investment of 12 million euro, which Natra is to finance with 40% company equity and 60% local government grants and credit lines from Canadian banks.
According to Natra’s CEO Mikel Beitia: “In 2012, the North American market accounted for 12% of Natra’s consumer goods division’s turnover. Sales in that region rose from 13 million euro in 2011 to 29 million euro at the end of 2012, a growth of 123%. With the increased presence of Natra in North America, we estimate that the consumer goods division’s sales in this market will double again in the next three years.“
Natra sets its commitments on Corporate Social Responsibility up to 2020
Spanish listed multinational Natra, a reference in the manufacture of chocolate products and cocoa derivates, with a specialized approach to retailers and other food companies, published today on its website its commitment for 2020 on corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Further to the statement of the board of directors of Natra, approved in June last year, the company has worked in recent months on the core lines of its commitment to CSR, with special attention to five major areas: raw materials, and especially cocoa; environment protection; Natra’s team; society and healthy nutrition.
With regard to the supply of cocoa, Natra’s commitment up to 2020 will mainly focus on gradually increasing the purchase of certified cocoa until it represents 100% of the company’s consumption; promoting certification among the cocoa farmers cooperatives with whom Natra has relationships; participating in non-profit organisations that promote the protection of farmers and their families, as well as the effective organisation of the cooperatives to which they belong; and publishing information annually on the origin of the cocoa, indicating the proportion of the total that has been certified and the certification seals.
With regard to the environment, Natra’s commitment up to 2020 is to acquire 100% of the palm oil from plantations which are compatible with the survival of tropical forests; to promote the rational use of natural resources, with special emphasis on reducing energy and water consumption; to measure the carbon footprint of each of our products; to buy green energy whenever possible; to use cardboard produced via appropriate and socially-beneficial environmental management; and to promote the re-use of all waste generated.
In relation to the team, Natra’s commitment will focus on reporting on occupational health, safety and training indicators; developing, standardising and promoting conciliation and equality policies; and maintaining and improving where necessary the ratios relating to employee permanence in the company.
Natra’s commitment up to 2020 with its communities of influence provides for an increase in the collaboration with organisations working directly for the welfare of the population in countries where the company sources cocoa; the establishment of ongoing collaboration with local food banks; and the promotion of sponsorship activities related to sport and healthy living.
In relation to the promotion of healthy nutrition, Natra’s commitment up to 2020 will focus on the elimination of trans fats; the replacement of artificial aromas with 100% natural aromas; the reduction of salt content; and the complete avoidance of artificial colorants.
Above all, Natra’s CSR objectives aim to be specific and realistic. In order to guarantee progress in this area, Natra has established not only specific targets, but also the deadlines by which they are to be met. Since 2013, Natra has aimed to establish measurable objectives that allow us to fulfil our commitment to 2020 and to measure their progress year after year.
As one of the first steps, Natra has adhered to the United Nations Global Compact, an international initiative that promotes the implementation in entrepreneurial activities of ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour standards, environment and anti-corruption.
Natra strengthens its strategic position in Asia through the opening of a commercial office in Hong Kong
Natra opened in Hong Kong on Wednesday April 3 its new commercial office in China, to attend the Asia-Pacific markets.
The new sales office represents a firm step in Natra’s commitment of expanding its business outside Europe, particularly in the markets of North America and Asia.
Among the countries of the Asia-Pacific area, China is the first target market due to its significant growth opportunities. Chocolate consumption is now awakening in this market, especially due to the development of large foreign retail chains in the country and the increasing purchasing power of the population. It is estimated that in 2016 the middle class population in China will reach 340 million people, in a market with an annual chocolate consumption of 100 grams per person, compared to 8 kilos per person in Western Europe.
In this context, Natra considered essential to move forward in the commercial development that the company had so far in the area and establish a permanent business office. The direct presence in this market will allow Natra a better identification of business opportunities and consumer trends in terms of product categories, flavors, textures and packaging, while closer business relationships with key customers, direct management of the relations with the local distribution networks and operational improvements in the region, as for instance through potential agreements for the packaging of European-manufactured products.
Natra’s progress in the last year through the sales representative team in the area has allowed the company to be already present in the top five retail chains in China. Meanwhile, Natra’s industrial product division, responsible for the production and marketing of coca derivatives such as cocoa butter, cocoa powder and chocolate coating, has enjoyed trade relations with Japan for over 25 years, being China and Korea among its future growth markets.
In 2012, Natra’s cocoa and chocolate activity in markets outside Europe accounted for 20% of total sales, reaching 63.98 million euro, an increase of 47.5% compared to 2011. Among these markets, the Asia-Pacific countries brought together 18% of export sales, an increase of 18% over the previous year.
The economic objective of Natra’s consumer goods division for the next three years is to triple sales in China, reaching around 28 million euro by consolidating a customer base of retail chains as well as importers that have their own brands and distribution capabilities in the country.
In a first phase, Natra foresees consumer demand in Asian countries to focus on the category of Belgian and French chocolates, although the company expects to identify opportunities to gradually integrate its countlines and spreads categories.
Natra celebrates 70 years of history
Natra’s beginnings date back to 1943, when three Valencian chemists laid the foundation of what would be for many years the only company in the world that used all of the cocoa bean.
Natra, Spanish listed multinational, a reference in the manufacture of chocolate products and cocoa derivates, with a specialized approach to distribution brands and other food companies, celebrates this year its 70th anniversary in the cocoa industry.
Natra’s beginnings date back to 1943, when three Valencian chemists laid the foundation in the city of Valencia of what would be for many years the only company in the world that used all of the cocoa bean, as it obtained out of them theobromine, caffeine, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, cocoa powder and organic fertilizers, serving industries as diverse as pharma, soft drinks, cosmetics, chocolate, confectionery and agriculture.
Natra was founded as A. Benlloch – Laboratorios Natra, whose object was the extraction and purification of theobromine, a natural alkaloid only found in cocoa, which was highly valued in the pharmaceutical industry. The cocoa shells were acquired in Equatorial Guinea, then a Spanish province, which led the founders to settle there in 1950. It was this contact with the world of cocoa which led them to extend their activities to the field of food, using the whole of the cocoa bean instead of just the shell.
It was also in 1950 when the company moved to a new plant built in Mislata (Valencia), and it continued to develop successfully in the industries of both natural extracts -and, particularly, caffeine, an alkaloid closely related to theobromine-, and all cocoa derivatives for the food industry.
In 1978 Natra started trading on the Spanish Stock Exchange, first in Valencia and later in Madrid, in 1991, being one of the few food and pharmaceutical companies present in the Spanish stock market.
In the first decade of the new century Natra undertook the spin-off of its ingredients activity –with the establishment of its subsidiary Natraceutical-; the diversification into the production of chocolate products and the acquisition of four plants in Europe, which allowed the creation of a complete product portfolio that currently includes chocolate coatings, chocolate and cereal bars, Belgian chocolates and truffles, chocolate tablets and spread creams.
But probably one of the most important strategic decisions for Natra in the last decade was the specialization of the company towards the distribution brand (private label), which turned Natra into one of the leading suppliers among the largest global distributors.
The company currently maintains business relationships in sixty countries on five continents, to which Natra provides one of the most extensive product portfolios in Europe, supported by constant innovation and research work on new recipes and packaging solutions.
Currently, Natra’s cocoa and chocolate team comprises around 1,000 people, mainly located in the company production plants of Quart de Poblet – Spain (145 people), Oñati – Spain (550), Belgium (350) and France (120).
This business ended 2012 with a turnover of 326.62 million euro, 20% of which already outside Europe. For the coming years, Natra will focus on further development of the company into new export markets outside Europe and on fostering long term partnership with its customers, having quality and innovation as fundamental pillars for the sustainable development in the long run.
70 years of past history since Arturo Benlloch, Alvaro Faubel and Juan R. Ferrándiz started the first laboratory tests in their small premises in Valencia until a strong international position now that allows the company to look to the future with renewed goals.
Natra develops a new generation of powdered chocolate: the granulated chocolate powder
The industrial goods division of Spanish multinational Natra, which is specialized in the production and commercialization of cocoa- and chocolatederived products, has developed a new granulated chocolate powder, characterised by a greater degree of stability and ease of manipulation in industrial applications.
Natra has developed a new granulated chocolate powder that is stable at room temperature, which means that it does not melt at the temperature of traditional chocolates, thus maintaining its flowability. The product also retains all the essential ingredients of chocolate, thus ensuring all the flavour and colour of real chocolate while opening up a wide range of complementary applications to those permitted by products such as cocoa powder or defatted powdered chocolate.
As a powdered chocolate, the qualities of this new product position it in front of the value chain of the Industrial Goods Division of Natra, from which the company marketed up to date cocoapaste, powder and butter as well as liquid and solid chocolate coatings.
PDue to its stability and workable condition, this powdered chocolate is particularly suitable for applications in the pastries and ice cream industries. Its granulated powder texture also makes it highly suitable for mixing with liquids, thus facilitating its application in a long list of non-solid products, such as milkshakes.
Natra presented its new granulated chocolate powder during the Institute Food Technology 2012 Fair, which was held in Las Vegas (USA) towards the end of June. The new product was met with a highly positive reception by the North American industry.
The product is now available for manufacturing and Natra will shortly launch a presentation campaign for its clients, with a special focus to be placed on food-industry businesses in Europe and North America with a strong R&D presence in their production processes.
Natra’s industrial goods division is Spain’s leading cocoa bean miller and the largest national supplier of cocoa and semi-prepared products for industries which employ cocoa-derivates as ingredients (chocolate-, biscuit-, ice-cream-, dairy-product manufacturers, etc.). From the facilities of this division in Valencia (Spain), Natra produces more than 35 thousand tonnes per year of cocoa derivatives and chocolate coating, which the company markets in 60 countries on the 5 continents.
In 2011, the turnover of the Cocoa and Chocolate Business reached 327.13 million euros (+8.4% compared to 2010). The Industrial Goods Division’s sales grew by 4.3% to 84.2 million euros. 80.2% of the Division’s turnover is concentrated in Europe, which showed growth of 7.3% over 2010, while sales in markets outside of Europe grew by 3.4%
According to Natra CEO Mikel Beitia: “This new development forms part of Natra’s strategy to develop its own, innovative added-value offer in both its divisions (Industrial Goods and Consumer Goods), together with an increase in its trade relationships outside Europe, as was announced recently following new trade agreements established in United States and Asia”.
Natra drives its growth strategy in Asia with the signing of a supply contract in China
Natra has taken another step in its expansion project outside Europe, after entering into a supply contract with one of the reference distributions of chocolate products in China.
In a first phase, the agreement provides for the marketing of Belgian chocolates throughout the territory of China, excluding Hong Kong and Macao. The contract establishes a minimum commitment of sales for 2012, with progressive growth over the next two years. However, the proper conduct of trade relations between the two companies so far seems to indicate that final sales will exceed that amount, enabling Natra to reach an increase of 70% in its turnover in this area in 2012.
The export activity of the Consumer Goods Division of Natra currently covers 42 countries on the four continents outside Europe. In 2011 the Division’s sales in markets outside of Europe grew 54.8% over the previous year, reaching 25.75 million euros and representing 10.6% of total turnover of the Consumer Goods Division, with a special focus on America and Asia-Pacif.
Natra’s new partner in the Asian country has a multi-channel marketing approach, which allows him to distribute its product portfolio in retail chains, shopping centres and the internet, among others, through a network of distributors in each province.
The increased demand for Belgian chocolate in Asia has allowed this Chinese distributor to obtain annual growth around 30-40% since it started its import activity of chocolates in 1998. These increases have been the reason that the company has had to seek new suppliers with greater capacity to meet demand in the area.
According to Mikel Beitia, CEO of Natra, “The firm decision that Natra took two years ago to extend its business model outside of Europe is evolving at a rapid pace and, although our activity in China is not yet relevant, the signing of this contract confirms the expectations for growth in this key market for Natra’s future.”
New distribution platform
Since January 2012 Natra has a new sales and distribution platform that is intended to boost all commercial synergies of the different business units of the consumer goods division, especially in regard to sales, logistics and distribution, marketing, and administrative management.
In implementation of several resolutions of the Board of Directors of Natra SA relating to operational reorganization of the Group, since January 2012 Natra has a new sales and distribution platform that is intended to boost all commercial synergies of the different business units of the Consumer Products Division, especially in regard to sales, logistics and distribution, marketing, and administrative management.
The new integrated platform, which has been constituted under the name of Natra Chocolate International, one hundred percent subsidiary of Natra SA, will manage at an early stage those markets in southern and central Europe, Germany and some export countries. At a later stage, Belgium, Netherlands and United Kingdom, as well as other markets, will be added gradually.
This way, all the sale and distribution processes of the different types and varieties of bars, chocolates, spreads and tablets, including the logistics of the same, are to be merged into a single platform, thus avoiding duplication and economic and organizational inefficiencies. Also, the new platform will enable cost savings and rationalization of the structure to achieve greater competitiveness and better customer service. Up to now, all these activities were carried out by the different business units of the Group.
As part of creating the new platform, Natra SA has undertaken several corporate transactions within the Group, among which are transfers of commercial activity and / or goodwill to Natra Chocolate International from the operating subsidiaries in France and Spain.